POLITICS: LOCAL CANDIDATES DISCUSS VIEWS

About 40 people attended a two-hour candidates forum Wednesday night at Southeast Missouri State University's Glenn Auditorium.

More than half of them were candidates, relatives and friends of candidates, or members of the local chapter of the League of Women Voters or mass communications and political sciences departments at the university, which sponsored the event.

Candidates included those running for the 8th District congressional seat, 158th District Missouri House seat, county commission, public administrator and coroner. Uncontested offices in the Nov. 7 election were not included.

Joe Gambill, a Republican candidate for 2nd District county commissioner, said good government begins at the local level.

Gambill faces Democratic incumbent Max Stovall for the commission seat. Gambill has held the position before.

Doug Flannery, a Democrat, warned that governments can get too large and lose effectiveness. Flannery is running against 1st District Commissioner Larry Bock, a Republican. Bock could not attend the forum.

"Government is a scary word and can start with good intentions, and before long you have a monster," Flannery said. He opposes a county planning initiative because the plan is too restrictive and doesn't help solve the county's growth and zoning problems. Bock, in a statement submitted to the league, said he would work to build and unify the county and make it run more efficiently.

Gambill and Stovall support planning and zoning and believe it is necessary to regulate growth and help the county progress.

Efficient government focused on the needs of the people would be a key element for both candidates seeking the 158th District seat in the Missouri House. Both Jason Crowell, a Republican, and Tom Neumeyer, a Democrat, want to make their community a better place.

Empowering the people and making sure that the state is a good steward of their money would be top priorities for Neumeyer. Crowell said his first job is to fix the problems and not try to get credit for improving the community and state. "We need to leave our egos behind," Crowell said.

Both agreed that education is key. Crowell favors a lock box system that would send gambling revenues directly to local districts and not funnel it through the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Neumeyer believes that the money shouldn't be a supplement but should be returned to schools as it was promised.

Candidates for the 8th District congressional seat agreed that campaign finance reforms are needed. Democrat Bob Camp said he hasn't taken any donations and would vote the conscience of the people in the district. "My opinions would play second fiddle," he said.

John Hendricks, a Libertarian, said that people should have the freedom to spend as much money as they want on the candidate of their choice. He would work to eliminate the Federal Elections Commission.

Roger Sager, a Green party candidate, said that corporations should be financing elections but government should work to make things more equitable.

Republican Jo Ann Emerson, who holds the seat, did not attend.